English abstract

Purpose
The study encompasses the assessment of the effectiveness of the digital library and the value of multidisciplinary databases in terms of user preferences and use frequency by academic ranking.
Methodology
This paper compares the results of two survey questionnaires carried out in 2002 and 2005. To examine the level of awareness by academic staff of digital library resources along with their use rate and to evaluate the preferences of faculty for specific electronic databases case studies were undertaken by means of separate questionnaires in both years.
Findings
Findings were consistent that positive results have been observed in two studies conducted in two years, 2002 and 2005. According to the results of current survey, the increase numbers of the faculty members of Ankara University know about the existence of the digital library after the informative activities on databases from. Another result of the survey is that many of the faculty members, although not all of them use electronic databases. The most preferred databases have been Web of Science, Science Direct and Ebsco. When use of the electronic databases is analyzed, in respect of faculty rank and level of awareness, associate and assistant professors, assistants place at first ranges.
Originality/value
The study presents the first case study in the field in Turkey that compares the current situation of the digital library usage with the initial survey data.

Weingart, S. and Anderson, J. (2000), “When questions are answers: using a survey to achieve faculty awareness of the library’s electronic resources”, College and Research Libraries,Vol. 61 No. 2, pp. 127-34.